Instantaneous hot-water heater.



T. H. STEEHENSON.

INSTANTANBOUS HOT WATER HEATER.

1 11101111011 FILED JULY 22. 1911.

1,031 ,393 Patented July 2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-11313 1.

W1TNESSES: INVENTOR,

i m I: k 1 gill/Z66 40 672 072 m Ann/11522 T. H. STEPHENSON.

INSTANTANEOUS HOT WATER HEATER.

APPLIOATION nun JULY 22, 1911.

1,031,393. Patented July 2, 1912.

2 8HBET8SHEBT 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR,

@WW H mm) flan/1 km. A TTORNEY.

COLUMBIA Puuomuwtl cm. WASHINGTON. D. C-

livery pipe.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. STEPHENSON, 0F HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MATCH- LESS HEATER COMPANY, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

INSTANTANEOUS HOT-WATER HEATER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS II. Srrr PHENSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Instantaneous Ho t-I/Vater Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in instantaneous hot water heaters in which a plurality of coiled pipes, through which water flows, are subjected to the heat from a gas burner.

The present application is a division of an application filed by me on February 25, 1911 under Serial No. 610,694, which application issued as a patent on January 30, 1912 under No. 1,016,044, in which patent claims are drawn to cover the hot water heater proper.

The objects of my invention are,to provide an electric ignition device for the pilot light for the burners; to provide means for maintaining; the main gas and water valves locked against movement until after the pilot light is ignited.

Other objects will appear in the body of the specification and will particularly be pointed out in the claims.

I attain these objects by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a view, in elevation, of the heater showing the pipe connections, electric ignition devices, and the hot water de- Fig. 2 is a transverse, horizontal view, in section, on the line 22 of Fig. 4 showing the inclined position of the delivery end of the coils, and their arrangement within the shell of the heater. Fig. 3 is a detail, perspective view of the burner clearly illustrating the slotted ears for quickly detaching the same from the shell. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the valveoperating device looking in the direction of the arrow on line 41- 1 of Fig. 1, and with the operating handle down in a closed position. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the handle raised, after the pilot lamp has been ignited by the electric system. Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electric ignition device for the pilot lamp.

In the drawings forming part of this ap- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

Divided and this application filed July 22,

plication, a designates the outer shell of the heater. An annular water jacket 0 communicates at its lower end with a suitable cold water supply pipe d, shown as secured at its upper end to one of the outer and inner shells a and Z), which shells have an opening therethrough for the passage of the products of combustion and the discharge end of the heating coils, as shown in my aforesaid prior patent numbered 1,016,044.

Brazed, or otherwise secured to the cap member 9, at their upper or discharge ends, are a plurality of coiled tubular members i. The lower ends of the coils are continued upward through the center portion of the heater in an inclined position, as shown at 7c (see Fig. 2) and are connected to the delivery or discharge cap-piece m. The interior of the cap-piece m leads to a delivery pipe 0 to which a swinging deli-very endpiece 79 is attached so that the flow of hot water can be directed either to the right or the left side of the pipe 0.

Referring now to the construction of the gas burner which is attached to the lower end'of the casing a by means of the ear pieces (1, three of which, it will be noticed, are provided with slots 1', and the other one with the perforation s. This construction permits the enlarged bowl part it of the heater to be readily attached to, and detached from, the casting at the bottom portion of the casing a, which is designated by the letter t. The upper portion of the burneris made larger in diameter than the lower portion, as clearly illustrated in which is secured the tubular burner tips w. The lower portion of the burner is contracted toward the axis, as shown at y, and is made of considerable length in order to thoroughly mix the gaseous fluid with the incoming air which enters the lower part of the contracted portion at a. 3 designates the pipe which furnishes the supply of gaseous :fuel. From the construction of this burner it will be seen that by reason of the long contracted portion'y, the combustible mixture is thoroughly commingled before it reaches the burner-tips :0, thus effecting a great saving in the use of gas, as the right proportions are brought together for utilizing all of the combustible material of the gaseous fuel.

4 designates the drip-pipe that is designed to carry away any condensed moisture which may accumulate on the inside of the casing Z) or within the burner when the heater is in use.

Referring now to the ignition device, by means of which the pilot lamp is ignited: 5 designates a small tube for conveying the gas that leads upward to the lower part of the casing a. and its upper end terminates adjacent an opening 6 which leads to the interior of the casing which contains the heating coils 7 and 8 designate two spark terminals that are connected with the secondary winding of an induction coil, as shownin diagram in Fig. 6.

lnterposed in the primary winding 10 is a make and break device which consists of a handle 11 having a pin 12 thereon which is adapted to make contact with the flexible strip 13 by closing the primary circuit in the usual manner.

The battery is designated at 14,one terminal of which is connected, by means of the wire 15, to the set-screw 16 which bears against the vibrator 17 and to which one terminal of the primary winding 10 is connected. The terminal of the battery 14 is connected by means of a wire 18 to a handle 11. By rotating the handle 11, so as to cause the pin 12 to engage the strip 13, the ignition sparks are produced between the points 7 and 8 and at the same time the gas is turned into the small pilot pipe 5 which leads upward to the opening 6, as stated above. This pipe communicates with the gas main 19 and when the gas reaches the opening 6 it will be instantly ignited by the electric sparks. The pressure in the main causes. the pilot flame to be blown inside of the casing Z) and above the tip burners so that when the main supply of gas is turned onto the main burner, they will all be simultaneously ignited.

12 designates a second pin attached to the handle 11, and is designed to lock the main valves against movement until after the pilot lamp is lighted.

It will be noticed that the pin 12 shown in Fig. 4, normally lies in contact with the end of the locking cam 20 which is pivotally attached to a barrel member 21 at the point 22. The opposite ends of the barrel member 21 are socketed, as shown at 21 to receive the squared ends of the plugs of the valves 23 and 24, the latter controlling the supply of water to the pipe 25 which communicates with the part (Z (see Fig. 1) and interposed in this pipe between the valve 23 and the part (Z is the shut-01f 26. The valve 24 controls the supply of gas to the supply pipe 3 which is located at the lower end of the burner.

Attached to the barrel member 21 is an operating lever 27 so that when the lever is moved upward, as shown in Fig. 5, the main water and gas valves 23 and 24, will be simultaneously operated to turn on the water that is to be heated and open the main supply of gas for the burners w.

The position of the parts shown in Fig. 4 shows the main operating handle 27 in its closed position, while that shown in the dotted line position in Fig. 5 is in an open position. It will be noticed that the cam 20 is normally pressed outward by means of the spring 28, after the pilot lamp has been lighted, by the operator moving the handle 11 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5, whereby the pin 12 is moved away from the end of the cam 20. The barrel element 21 may then be rotated by the handle 27 simultaneously turning on the flow of the gas and water, which are controlled by the valves 28 and 24. The pin 12, wiping across the strip 13, ignites the pilot lamp and afterward is moved to the open circuit position, shown in Fig. 5. When it is desired to shut oil the flow of water and gas the handle 27 is depressed back to the position shown in Fig. 4, the end of the cam 20 simply snapping over the pin 12 and compressing the spring 28, after the valve handle 11 has been turned to the shutoff position shown in Fig. 4 with the pin 12 engaging the end of the cam 20.

It will be observed from the arrangement of the coils i and the plate that any water of condensation that may form on these pipes will drip back onto the plate '0 where it will be carried ofi by the discharge pipe 4. It will also be noticed that the upper part of the burner is large enough, diametrically, to receive any drippings that may form on the outside of the outer shell (1. These drippings may also be carried away by the pipe 4.

What I claim, is

1. In a hot water heater, the combination with a casing to receive a plurality of heating coils, a gas burner attached to the lower end of the casings, a pilot-lamp located above the burner, electrical means for igniting the pilot-lamp, said electrical means including a handle for closing the electric circuit and opening the gas inlet valve that leads to the pilot-lamp, pipe connections for the water and gas supply, valves therein, a barrel member provided with socketed end portions to receive the valve-stems of the valves in the water and gas pipe connections, and means to prevent the operation of said valves until after the pilot valve is opened and the pilot lamp ignited.

2. In a hot water heater, valves for controlling the flow of water to be heated and the supply of gas to the burner, means for simultaneously opening and closing said valves, a pilot-lamp, a valve for the same,

and means associated with the pilot-lamp valve to lock the water and gas valves against operation until after the valve to the pilot-lamp valve has been opened.

3. A hot Water heater including a pilotlamp, electrical means for igniting the same, a valve for opening the flow of gas to the pilot-lamp and simultaneously closing the electric ignition devices for the pilot-lamp, controlling valves for the water and gas, and means operated from the pilot-valve to permit the Water and gas valves to be opened after the pilot lamp is ignited and the electric circuit broken.

4. In a hot Water heater, the combination with the heater coils, a burner therefor, means to permit water and gas to flow to the coils and burner, a valve for controlling each, a barrel element to cause the valves to move in unison, a cam on the barrel element, a pilot lamp, a valve to control the flow of gas thereto, a stem or projection on the pilot-lamp-controlling valve and extending into the path of the cam to lock the same against movement when the water and gas valves are closed, said cam having a pivotal connection with the barrel element, so as to snap past the stem when moved to a closed position.

A valve construction for hot water heaters comprising a pilot valve to control the flow of gas to a pilot lamp, and main water and gas valves, means to operate the latter in unison, an electric ignition device for the pilot-lamp, two projections or stems on the pilot valve, one of them to close the electric circuit of the ignition device when the pilot valve is moved to a certain position, and the other stem to unlock the main water and gas valves when the circuit is closed and to hold said valves locked before the circuit is closed.

6. A valve operating mechanism for hot water heaters comprising a pilot lamp, a valve therefor, main water and gas valves, means for connecting the latter to move together, and means on the valve of the pilot lamp to lock the main valves until after the pilot valve is operated, substantially as described.

THOMAS H. STEPHENSON.

Witnesses K. I. CLEMONS, HARRY W. BOWEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

